Campaign To Save Pubs

The publication of the House of Commons Business, Innovation and Skills Select Committee report on pubcos recognised the FSB's concerns that big pub companies are slowly destroying countless valued pubs through excessive rental demands and inflated wholesale beer prices.

Castle Point MP Rebecca Harris is a member of that Select Committee which received evidence from the FSB.

The FSB has worked closely with CAMRA to achieve this result and is included in CAMRA's email campaign to MPs asking them to back the Committees recommendations.

Please email YOUR local MP to encourage support for these recommendations to help keep YOUR local pub open!

FSB Launches Entrepreneurship Campaign

The FSB launched a campaign at the Liberal Democrats National Party Conference aimed at highlighting Real Life Entrepreneurs. Further events took place at the Labour Party and Conservative Party National Conferences.

The launch of the Regional Campaign is on Tuesday 01 November 2011 at Stansted when The Beermat Entrepreneur, Michael Southon, will be speaking. More details.

You can download the Entrepreneurship Campaign Manifesto here

Open Services White Paper - 10 Downing Street Consulting Essex FSB

Under the Government's programme of reforms and the new proposals set out in the Open Public Services White Paper (published in July) there will be new opportunities for SMEs to compete to deliver public services, and to innovate and grow.

Essex FSB was asked by the Number 10 Downing Street Policy Unit to hold a special event for local businesses to comment on the proposals and this was held on Monday 26 September 2011 at Harlow Enterprise Hub.

Details of the Open Public Services White Paper can be downloaded here.

Dartford Crossing Survey

Essex FSB launched its Dartford Crossing survey in August 2011 in response to the Department for Transport consultation on the future management of the Dartford Crossing which includes proposing higher charges, a possible new crossing between Essex and Kent and using number plate recognition toll collection systems.

Essex FSB will be responding to that consultation but before we do so we are gathering data from local businesses so that we have up to date facts to include in our response.

The Essex FSB Forum has now been launched and can be accessed here

The Essex FSB Forum is an ideal way to share views and comments on current issues affecting your business - but no advertising please!

Do You Want £2,500 To Employ An Apprentice?

The FSB in East Sussex, Essex, Kent, Norfolk and Suffolk is working with local authorities across those five counties to bid for up to £5 million from the Regional Growth Fund to support small businesses wishing to create new apprenticeship positions.
If the bid is successful the project would offer a subsidy of £2,500 per apprentice (equivalent to six months' salary at the basic apprenticeship pay grade) to eligible businesses which would be across all business sectors.
Apprenticeships offer a programme of work based training and experience to people – equipping them with skills that could take your business forward and grow your profits. Have a look at the range of jobs and skills that are covered by apprenticeships – there could be one that could give your business competitive advantage.

M11 Business Group

Essex FSB is giving its support to an initiative aimed at bringing together business groups of all descriptions, which border the M11 from Cambridge to Redbridge, to work in partnership for the benefit of the M11 Corridor economy. More details from Development Manager Keith Brown.

Vigil Of Prayer: In The Shadow Of The Recession

Essex FSB was the only business organisation which was invited to lead prayers at this day of prayer for those affected by the recession held at Chelmsford Cathedral.

Essex FSB was represented by Development Manager Keith Brown and you can read the prayers here.

Action Not Words Campaign

The Action Not Words Campaign aims to persuade the European Commission to cut the burden of red tape on the 23 million SMEs in the European Union.

More details on the campaign are available here

You can help in this campaign by emailing your Euro MP using the details below:

Make Your Views Count!

The FSB has recruited more than 4,000 businesses to the FSB ‘Voice of Small Business' Survey Panel.

This panel of members will answer regular questions on different policy issues. The regular surveys will give the FSB the information it needs to make sure members' views are heard by policy makers.

Together we can ensure the interests of small firms are at the top of the political agenda. 

Surveys are online, take less than 10 minutes to complete and are issued just nine times a year.

More details on the panel and recent survey results are available here

Sign up to the panel

Essex FSB members can have their voice heard by signing up to the FSB Survey Panel. By signing up to the panel you will really help the FSB ensure that we can tell Government and local councils what small business issues are affecting firms in Essex, Havering and Redbridge.

To join the panel you need your membership number and Vcode (found on your membership card or from Essex FSB Development Manager Keith Brown)

The link contains a number of profiling questions which allow us to capture initial information about each member; we then don't have ask these questions again. Once signed up, members will then receive the next panel survey that goes out.

Join the Panel NOW!

Essex Police praised for good practice in National FSB Report

The FSB has published a national report: Localism and Tackling Crimes Against Business which highlights work done in Essex as an example of Good Practice (Pages 12 to 14)

Award Winning Shop At My Local Scheme

The Shop At My Local Campaign for Hockley, Rayleigh and Rochford was launched on Monday 03 August 2009 with support from Essex FSB and In July 2010 was the Enterprising Britain East of England Regional Winner 2010 for its enterprising and innovative work.

The scheme is free to join.

Linked In with Essex FSB

Essex FSB has launched a Linked In discussion group.

Kerryanne Gill is our 4,000th Member?

Essex FSB is already the leading business organisation in Essex, Havering and Redbridge offering an unrivalled range of services and benefits for members - all for an annual subscription which starts at £120!

And now our voice is even stronger as we passed through the 4,000 membbrship total during June 2010.

Kerryanne Gill of Colchester-based Atlantean Body was the  4,000th member and received all those services and benefits and also received:

• a dinner for two at a leading restaurant in the county courtesy of National FSB Recruitment Chairman Colin Stratton  AND
• a bottle of champagne from Essex FSB.

She received her awards from Essex FSB Chairman, Iain Wicks, and FSB National Secretary, Dave Stallon, watched by FSB Membership Advisor Ivor Guthrie who recruited her during a meeting in Chelmsford.

We are now aiming to reach 5,000 members in record breaking time so isn't it time you Joined Us?

Developing National FSB Policy

At the FSB National Conference 2010 Essex FSB successfully proposed a new policy on Utility Contract Rollovers and is now working with the National Policy Team to persuade Government to implement that policy.